How MBA Consultants Can Be Your Gateway To Success

1. How MBA Consultants Can Be Your Gateway To Success Applying to business school can become a complicated and confusing process. When you take the time to plan your essays and recommendations, it will give rise to several important questions. Some can be as follows: ● Which schools should I apply to? ● Which round should I target? ● How do I make my application stand out? ● Should I reuse the same essay for my second application? ● Whom should I contact as a recommender? Applying for an MBA is one of the most crucial career-shaping steps you will be undertaking, which is why it is essential to have an answer to these questions among many others that cross your mind. This is where an MBA consultant enters the picture, they not only help you with big questions like which schools to apply to, which stories to

2. talk about in your essays, whom to contact for recommendations but also often overlooked details like networking with the community, developing a personal brand etc. A good MBA consultant helps you present yourself in the best light possible, via one-on-one interaction and personalized attention. You have to portray your achievements in the best light possible and sculpt them to the requirements of every business school individually. The best MBA consultants walk the last mile with you simplifying difficult questions about your application. They help you highlight your strengths, values, goals, and achievements in a succinct manner. Why should you work with an MBA Consultant? 1. An MBA consultant can help you choose the right business school One of the most important factors when embarking on your business school journey is shortlisting the programs you will be applying to. While there are innumerable factors to consider, some of the pertinent ones are listed below: 1.1Duration: The length of your business school programs can vary from one to two years. Depending on the level of your prior professional experience and your responsibilities within your organization, a 1 year or a 2-year program may best fit your career goals. A 1-year program is typically targeted for professionals with significant experience who are looking to grow within their respective function or industry. A 2-year format is usually for early to mid-career professionals who are looking to transition into a new industry or function and invest more time in their development. Both 1 year and 2-year formats can be great options depending on your professional career, your prior skillsets and your immediate professional aspirations post your MBA. 1.2 Geography / Location: One of the most important factors to consider while shortlisting your target schools is the location where you want to pursue your education. Factors such as long-term prospects, family presence, local industries, teaching methodology can be important considerations while deciding the geography of your business school. While the US, UK, Canada, EU,

3. Asia offer great options, there will be significant difference between these regions and hence one should deep dive into the program to figure out their best fit. 1.3 Skill set and specializations: While business school degrees focus on enhancing your business and leadership acumen, some applicants are keen on focusing on a particular area of specialization. To achieve this, you must focus on the business school program that tailors to your requirements closely. These can include upcoming fields like MBA in digital marketing, entrepreneurship, etc. For example, colleges like Harvard and Stanford have programs tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs or Chicago Booth, and MIT Sloan offer specializations in social impact MBA. A good consultant will work with you to shortlist the schools with you, while discussing your future pathway. 1.4 Probability vs Possibility: Most premier MBA programs are extremely competitive to get into. In fact, this is one of the necessary reasons why you need an MBA consultant: they help you determine the probability of securing admission to a particular business school. While no consultant can guarantee admission, they can evaluate your likelihood of making it to a program of your choice. While there is always a possibility of acceptance, it is also necessary to evaluate the probability. A good consultant helps you evaluate schools and streamline your profile accurately and in a unique manner to ensure maximum likelihood of success. You need accurate information. While there are many websites that provide detailed insight into the GMAT/GRE exam, there is still a lot of rumormongering. This is especially true with the new GMAT exam, popularly called ‘GMAT focus’. Many candidates also land up getting confused about conflicting information available across platforms, especially when it comes to the application process of premier business schools. From students sharing their own journeys to faculty interactions, the candidate is bombarded with more information than can be processed. We at The MBA Edge work with the candidate from day one to the last step, streamlining all the information and deleting all the misinformation one may come across. We are industry experts who know the in and out of the entire process across schools and specializations.

4. 2. An MBA consultant can help you strategize and craft a robust application Your application is the single most important source of information for the admissions committee to get to know you on a personal and professional level. Outside the competitive exam score, your application is probably the most crucial deciding factor in your admission decision and here an MBA consultant can add value in positioning your candidacy for your dream business school. Some potential areas where MBA consultants can add value: 2.1 Your Resume: Multiple studies have stated that people invest less than 2 minutes going through a resume prior to shortlisting a candidate. Thus, it becomes critical to pitch your story and your accomplishments in the most effective manner so that you can make the cut within a cursory glance through your resume. Highlighting your achievements and talking about the impact you created becomes a key deciding factor and this is where an MBA consultant will play a pivotal role is shaping the perfect resume for you. 2.2 Which stories are the best stories?

5. Many applicants tend to over-share or under-share information. Sometimes the focus is too much on a single incident that helped them shape their personality, or not enough attention to a notable incident. The people evaluating your application want to hear your story in the best light possible, be it taking on the baton of your family business or organizing fundraising for your local NGO. They want to learn about your motivating factors, values, and ethics, and gain an overall deeper insight into your personality. They want to learn about the ‘why’ behind your ‘what’, that is, why you did what you did. Essentially, any story from your life can serve as a motivating factor behind your essay. What becomes necessary is picking the correct ones, and given the plethora of them, it becomes even harder to pick and choose. A good consultant will help you streamline your attributes to the narrative you want to portray through your stories, by helping you select the correct ones, subject to the requirements of the business school. Further, it is not the story, but also how you narrate it. Many applicants fail to narrate it in a compelling manner, which is where they lose out. The context, the problem you solved, and why it needed solving in the first place are all elements that need to be addressed effectively. To put it simply, your narrative must have a coherent, compelling, and crisp structure, which is worded powerfully and effectively. We realize every line and every word matters, and framing an effective narrative requires judicious use of both. The MBA Edge is backed by experienced consultants who guide students day in and day out about their profile and can provide feedback like no other. 2.3 Letters of recommendation: Most programs will ask you to submit two or even three letters of recommendation. While many applicants overlook it, who writes the recommendation for you can be a determinant of whether you make it to a business school or get sidelined. Most people are too preoccupied or short sell your capabilities in the letter they draft for you, which is why it is important to pick and choose the correct recommenders. Many candidates have an automatic list of recommenders lined up in their minds, but they might not always be the correct fit. A good consultant will help you navigate this puzzle because a good letter of recommendation is key to whether your application will shine or fizzle. Many schools have limitations about who can file your recommendations, additionally, it is always a good practice to opt for people who have worked with you recently. Your current boss

6. Who better to write a letter of recommendation for you than your current boss, which is why most business schools place emphasis on the same. There can be many reasons why you might not have your boss as a recommender, including the fact that he or she might not know you are applying for an MBA! However, if you are an entrepreneur or part of a family business you can ask your business partner, colleagues, supervisor, or even clients to write recommendations for you. Make sure you include this factor in your essays! Pay equal attention to your second recommender! This can be a bit tricky since it is not your current boss, hence you have to put thought into this. Usually, it has to be someone who can recommend you in a good light, albeit in a different one from the first recommender. Pick someone who is in line with the image you want to portray and the details you have included in your CV and essays. They should be able to add dimensions to the unique brand that is you. A good consultant will help you pick the right recommenders for your profile. 3. An MBA consultant can help you ace the MBA Interview This is a tricky and unpredictable aspect of your business school application. It is nerve-wracking for some to converse with a business school representative. Preparing for this interaction requires you to perfect not only your profile but also a series of new questions that can come up in conversation. The best way to overcome these challenges is to practice multiple rounds of interviews and collect feedback. You cannot miss out on this step given how competitive MBA admissions are, because your competitors are surely putting in the work. For most top business schools, only half of the candidates interviewed are admitted. Not only do you have to master public speaking but ace the interview from the beginning to the end. Our team will go all out to help you gain all the advantages possible. It is crucial to learn how to position your answers while maintaining honesty. We at The MBA Edge are going to be with you at every part of the journey. We help you go beyond generic answers which will help you boost your confidence and help overcome all challenges in the application process.

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